Auto Resoration

Classic cars and their auto parts are a tradition of this country. The USA is unique in its value of the personal rights of the individual citizen including the right to personal property. This means that there are a lot of collectors and just like anything else that people value cars break and need replacement parts.

Older cars are valued for their age and the history they signify. They also wear down over the years and require restoration. The problem is that there is a finite supply of these old auto parts as the models are no longer made. So there is a significant market for these parts. This is what I want to discuss in the next several paragraphs.

So auto parts are often sought to restore a car to its original working condition which is a state that is valued to relive important history. Therefore the demand is high which makes it easier to locate the auto parts because their sale can be a lucrative endeavor. So where do you find these parts and where do they come from?

Well anywhere you find antiques you can find these parts. Old estate auctions, flee markets, and antique malls. The problem is that these can be considerably time consuming and often not very productive. So before you go you should do your research. Body shops are good resources as they are constantly seeking auto parts, car collectors are another valuable source of information. Another great resource is the internet which brings together basically all people with a similar interest in the form of forums, or bulletin boards, or blogs. If there is a part you have the best chance of finding it on the internet.

Another great place to look for things like outdated auto parts is on the online auctions like ebay. If people seek it, that is if there is a market for it, than it is generally being sold on ebay. Often just like when you restore anything you may have to purchase more than just that one part (i.e. a whole car that is often in disrepair or inoperable) but that is what you deal with. The internet is also a great place to shop for parts for your new guns as well as there are liquidators and wholesalers for things like this on the web.

Hopefully this gives you a start as you seek to restore and/or repair that symbol of American freedom. Happing auto parts hunting!

Whether you are just interested in re-spraying a small area to cover up some paint chips, or want to treat your car to a custom paint job that will let you enjoy envious stares from every pedestrian you pass, you will need to follow a few basic rules, and have the right tools to hand in order to carry out the work to a high standard.

The first thing to mention about auto paint jobs is that you should always work in a well ventilated area. Paint fumes can include a number of solvents that can leave you feeling light headed and even poison you if you inhale them, so make sure there is free passage of air through your work shop when you are painting. You should also wear a respirator mask during painting or preparation to avoid inhaling any paint and loose dust that you release.

To get the best effects when painting, you also need to make sure that you are able to keep dust to a minimum. You can achieve a good environment by hanging sheets from floor to ceiling in the area where you are working, and wearing overalls. You should also vacuum clean the area where you are painting at the beginning of every session.

When you apply auto body paint, the main thing is to get a good even finish that looks good, and the key to getting a good finish is having a good start. Preparation is everything in paining. Get it right, and you will be able to enjoy a fantastic smooth finish that will last for years and look great, skimp on your preparation, and your finish will look shabby straight away, and then get worse over time.

Before you paint, you need to strip off the old paint job. You can do this with a solvent based paint remover, or do it the hard way by sanding back the panels to bare metal using a sander. Whichever method you choose, you need to make sure that you have a very smooth base. To achieve this, use the finest grade abrasive paper available, and be prepared to put serious time into the job.

Once you are satisfied with your base, you can start applying the primer. Use a HLVP spray gun connected to an air compressor, as this is much more even than an aerosol, and will be much cheaper in the long run. You should use long sweeping strokes in a single direction to get a good base to paint onto. After every coat, allow the paint to dry, and then sand it back to a smooth surface. Then apply the next coat in strokes that go at 90 degrees to the previous layer, as this will produce an even color.

There are two types of auto paint that you can use on a car, cellulose based and Two Pack auto paint. Most painters now use Two Pack because it gives a better finish, and metallic colors are available, whereas cellulose paint can be tricky to deal with, and is best used on classic cars where you are trying to recapture an older style.

As with the primer, you should apply the auto paint in coats, spraying in a single direction, then sanding back to a fine surface to remove any imperfections, before applying the next layer at right angles to the previous one.

In between coats, it is imperative to clean the nozzles on your HVLP spray gun, as otherwise, small flakes of dried paint can be caught up in the spray and cause imperfections that will spoil the final effect.

Once you are satisfied that you have got a good covering and applied enough coats of auto body paint to create an excellent finish, apply one more coat for best effects, allow it to dry, and then sand back for a smooth finish. You should leave the paint to dry completely for 24 hours and then apply a wax polish to the whole body in order to protect your new paint job and give it a shine that will certainly catch the attention of anyone you pass on the road.

If you are one of the many classic car and hot rod enthusiasts, then you really want to get your car looking as if it just came out of the show room. However, you might want to consider the fact that the paint loses its luster as years go by and getting it repainted can be quite expensive.

Also, preserving the original paint in the classic car you have can add to its overall value. So, how to people do it when it comes to making the car look like brand new even if everything about it is as old as the car itself?

You have to remember that cleaning a car is not just about spraying it with water and wiping it with cloth. Today, professional car cleaning services is considered to be an art. There are quite a lot of things that are done in the car in order to make it look like brand new and just got out of the showroom.

If you want to make your classic car look like new, then you should get the services of professional car valeting and detailing experts. They will be able to know how to get the shine and the color depth of the paint in the car stand out and make it look like brand new. In fact, they will be able to do everything in their power and expertise to remove any contaminants that may have stuck on the paint of the car.

From grease, to tar, to squashed bugs, you will see that they will be able to remove it safely without damaging the paint. After removing the contaminants as well as traffic film, the next step is to wash it with water and applying wax. After that, they will polish it.

To remove tar and other objects that may have stuck on the paint, they will use a clay bar that contains small abrasives. These abrasives are so fine that it will not remove the original paint of the car. What it will do is remove anything that stuck on the paint, such as tar and over-paint.

They are not only experts in making the paint in the car look like brand new, but they will also be able to recondition the interior of the car with chemicals and other cleaners. For example, with the leathers, they will be able to apply chemicals to regain its once softness and. Professionals will be able to moisturize the leather and recondition it to make it look as if it has just been installed in the car.

The carpet will also be reconditioned as well as the chrome, mirrors and other parts of the car.

In fact, the engine will also be cleaned and detailed. They will remove grease and dust that may have accumulated and really show off the real engine. One that is clean and detailed.

These are the things that you might want to remember about auto valeting and detailing services.

As you can see, there are quite a lot of things that they will be able to do to your car. They know everything there is about cleaning the car that they will be able to make your car ready for car shows. As a classic car enthusiasts who wants to show of their car to the public, getting the services of car valeting and detailing professionals is indeed the way to go.

Detailing Your Car’s Interior

For car lovers who spend most of their time working on their cars for hours or even days just to present it on their selves as a precious gift, cleaning the interior is more important than the exterior. Enthusiasts will spend most of their time detailing their cars’ inside and it will still make sense. Technically, there are two surfaces of a car’s interior which are divided into: the breathable surfaces which include the cloth of the car’s seats and the vinyl such as the dashboard.

Step 1 – Vacuum Before plugging in the vacuum and inhaling everything that comes in contact, you have to first remove the things that will go against your work like the mats, auto kits, etc. You must use a strong kind of vacuum. The small ones which run through rechargeable batteries will not be enough more so those that are plugged inside the lighter plug of your car. It is more advisable that you use something more powerful like your home’s vacuum cleaner. That would be perfect for the job.

Remove the mats and just do the cleaning separately. Vacuum everything in sight which includes those that will soon be cleaned with liquid cleaner. Use a brush for places inside your car that could get marred with any impact coming from solid edge attachments.

Step 2 – Do the vinyl This is easier than vacuuming. Just use a vinyl cleaner like Simple Green which is pretty much available in automobile stores and the like. Dilute part of the concentration to water then go intense for stains that are stubborn. Drench the soft cloth inside the mixture then apply it in a liberal manner to the concerned sections. After applying, dry it up immediately using a towel made from microfiber. This is not advised to be used in metallic surfaces.

Step 3 – Innermost cleaning If you have the strength for it, remove the car seats every time you do interior detailing. That is how thorough your cleaning should be. It will be easier on your part to clean the interior if you have no seats to hinder your cleaning although there are cars that don’t allow you to remove the seats so you have to work hard just to get the dirt out of the tiny spaces present on your car seats.

Step 4 – Floor mat cleaning This is also easy. After removing them from your car’s interior, whale away then hose them and consider them as part of the wash job exteriorly. Majority who do this gets most of the dirt out but some may find it quite difficult. If the exterior washing doesn’t get the job done, then it is now necessary to apply a carpet cleaner then brush it.

Clean the part of the driver’s seat covered in vinyl with whatever chosen equivalent you have available. Never try treating the area with dressing for it will cause some problems like the driver getting slipped and may have difficulties in pedals.

Tough tip: it is always good to use hot or warm water whenever you plan on cleaning your interior. You can heat it up in a microwave although this strategy is only meant for those who are doing it at home because when it comes to professional car detailing, the model will be stronger. Other models will provide provisions for water heating.

You just purchased your very own car from the used car lot. Although it may not be much to look at, you have to consider that it is a used car. You can’t really expect to find something that sparkling and shiny in a used car lot would you?

Anyway, you got the car for a bargain and that’s really enough for you. You have a car that is in working condition which will be able to take you wherever you want to go and it drives really nice. The only problem is, is that it lost that once glorious paint that you see before your eyes. You know that it could be better looking but you just don’t have the money to refinish the car paint as well as replace the leathers on the seats. You also have that damage on the chrome and very dusty and dirty interior as well as carpets that would make your mom take the bus instead of riding in your car.

However, have you ever thought that there is a way to make your car look like new without spending a lot of money?

With car valeting or detailing services, you will see that your car will regain its once brand new look. Although the condition of the engine as well as the mechanical parts will not work as it had before when it was brand new, you have to consider that it will be able to look like new and look as if it just came out of the showroom.

Whatever car you purchased in the used car lot, you will see that professionals working for car detailing or valeting services will be able to provide you with quality service and do their best to make your car stand out from the rest.

Car detailing or valeting is the practice of extremely thoroughly cleaning of an automobile. It will not only involve washing the car and waxing the exterior and hand polishing it with chamois, but it will involve a lot of procedures to really make your car look as if it is ready for a car show. In fact, most people with classic car don’t dare clean the car themselves. What they do is take the car to auto detailing or valeting companies to get it cleaned and get that show quality level of cleanliness and detail.

In car detailing or valeting, cleaning the exterior will involve claying, polishing and waxing. Claying is used to remove any contamination in the paint such as road grime, tar, dried bugs, tree sap and even paint that was sprayed over the original paint. Claying is basically getting your car ready for waxing and polishing.

In the interior of the car, cleaning will involve vacuuming, brushing and using shampoos and other liquid cleaners for the seats and carpets.

If you really want the full service, most car detailing or valeting services will even recondition the leather seats and carpets to look as if it is brand new.

The tires aren’t even left out. They will apply a chemical that will make the tire look blacker and cleaner

The engine will also be cleaned. It will be rid of dirt and grease and really show the detail of the engine.

When you want a clean car, then you will see that car detailing or valeting services will be able to provide you with the services that will definitely exceed your expectations without spending too much money.

An accident can take seconds to occur but overseeing the entire claims repair process may take days. Traditionally, drivers have been responsible for reporting the claim, arranging for the rental car, getting estimates on the repair work, checking with the shop to see when the work will be done, inspecting the car, picking up the car and returning the rental car.

Fortunately, this does not have to be the case and that’s why it’s a smart idea to investigate car insurance companies carefully.

For example, The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies offers drivers an accident claims repair process that takes only minutes-not days-of their time. Here’s how the process works:

• The customer calls to report a claim at any time of the day or night and brings the vehicle to a specially designed service center.

• In about 15 minutes, the customer is in a rental car, if needed, with the assurance that the company will update the status of his or her claim.

• A claims representative prepares a repair estimate and contacts an auto body shop that has met strict quality requirements. The insurance company and the shop reach agreement on the cost of the repairs; the shop transports the vehicle back to the facility and the repair process begins.

• When the work is finished, the vehicle is returned to the service center where representatives from the insurance company and the body shop inspect the quality of repairs.

• Once the insurance company is satisfied with the repairs, the customer is called to schedule a pickup. Repairs are inspected and the customer drives off with a written document, saying that the repair facility and the insurance company guarantee the repairs for as long as the customer owns the vehicle.

Progressive has 25 Claims Service Centers open and plans to open 50 more sites across the country over the next few years.

If you love cars and you take pride in keeping it as spiffy clean as possible, then you have found yourself a new business that is quite in demand especially in cluttered and urbanized areas. Introducing – automobile detailing. There is more that meets the eye with regards to auto detailing. How nice it is to be the boss of something that you have loved for years. Even though detailing is considered as a small time business venture, it would be fine because big things come from small beginnings.

Do not underestimate car detailing because it is considered as hard work and you have to put in some threads of income for it to work although if doing cars is your thing, then detailing can become rewarding for you. Rewards will not come in money but in experience like skills, craftsmanship and the pride of doing your routine. One more benefit of detailing is that, aside from the assurance of income, you are about to venture into something that benefits your body as being physically fit.

How can you start? Connect yourself with friends. You can make a leap at that. If they liked what you have done, then you have yourself avid customers which will soon suggest you to other friends of theirs and so on. Then with just the word of mouth will keep your business afloat. Make sure that when your business is starting to flourish, you have the right resources to sustain maintenance – funds, people and place.

Amateur versus professionals Soon you will discover that there is a fundamental difference between professional detailers than amateur ones. Dealing with the fact of being an amateur will change once you have entered the business. Circumstances will differ and so would be your technique and eventually, you will evolve and your skills will be much more advanced compared to before. Equipments will also when you are now dealing with professional aspects of detailing. What you are using when you were once amateur will not be sufficient and not last that long under full stress hours of professional usage. You are expected to use all materials and supplies that are available and sometimes, you are demanded for more that is why, proper purchasing and selection of tools must be adhered.

Time is indeed, gold Because of the business that you have put up, you are required to become more professional especially when it comes to coping with your customer’s and dealer’s time. How you do the things that are expected of you must always coincide with the time that you need to spend in order to achieve the quality of labor it needs. Never sacrifice quality because of time constraint.

Detailing will turn out to be very unsatisfactory. As a professional, you would want to make first impressions to your customers and make it last. Therefore, you also have to make practice different and new procedures and techniques that will give you the opportunity to offer a job in a price that’s reasonable and at the same time, competitive.

Take note, you have to be as professional as you can be. And, as much as possible, be patient to the things that you need to do. Don’t compromise the quality of your service just because time didn’t make it. Starting a car detailing business is easy if you know the rules of the game.

Being in the auto valeting and detailing products may be a tough job. Owners of such business should know how to maximize the use of their valeting and detailing products to reduce cost and at the same time, aim for higher profits. Detailing products are not that expensive but if you know how to use them properly it can help save thousands of dollars.

Try to check on your valeting and detailing crews. How do they use the wax or wash soap? Most of the time, this product is wasted depending on how it is used. Tell your detail crews that for every 5-gallon bucket use one cap of the wax or wash soap. If the car is very dirty, you can use 2 or 3 caps of the wax or wash soap. If your detailing crew follows such proportions, you can save a lot on the wax or wash soap.

When using cleaners and degreasers, a pint of the solution is already enough to clean ten cars; whitewall figures should be cleaned using stronger solutions. Heavy-duty degreasers should be used for rims to achieve desired results.

For the glass cleaners, mix 50% distilled water and 50% glass cleaner. If you have window cleaners instead of the glass cleaner, mix 75% distilled water with 25% window cleaner.

Leather cleaners should be used according to the right proportions. There are lots of leather cleaners to choose from so make sure that you choose a cleaner that is of good quality and it should also be affordable. Avoid wasting leather cleaners by using too much of it.

Clay bars can last for many months but always keep the bars moist. You can store the clay bars in a container where there’s moisture.

Car scents should never be sprayed on the car’s dashboard. You can squirt the product two times under the car seats so that you can conserve the product. You don’t need to spray too much of the car scent.

These are only some of the detailing products used if you are involved in a car detailing service. Educate your valeting and detailing crews on how to conserve the products. Teach them the right product proportions to use so that the detailing products are not wasted. If you can save little by little, then the cost for obtaining such detailing products will be reduced and that is a positive point for your business.

Since you’re already in the car detailing service, why not consider offering car valeting? This is a very good service that you can offer to people who want to have a valet visit their homes for a more personal car service. Many people want a more personalized car valet so that they can have someone attend to their car’s needs while they’re out working or doing something else.

Putting up and maintaining a car valeting and detailing business may be hard but if you know what you’re doing, you will succeed in this business endeavor. By incorporating a car valet service, more and more people will be attracted to your business. Your usual clients will surely spread your new service by word of mouth.

Soon, your car valet service will also become popular especially if they provide the best car services. With the secrets to efficient use of valeting and detailing products, your business will keep on earning profits because of the reduced costs on the raw materials (products).

Auto show hobbyists find themselves meting new challenges as they begin the process of preparing their entries, whether they are working on an antique, a classic, or a new vehicle. Finding how to use the best automobile detailing supplies to achieve the wanted results is a matter of trial and error. Proper planning helps find the logical sequences for the best results. Also, the hobbyist must become an expert in many areas, knowing how to detail the tires and wheels of their cars as well as knowing how to clean automotive upholstery. (See the article, “Automotive Detailing: How to Clean Automotive Upholstery.”)

Preparing the wheels, wheel wells, tires, spokes, and hubcaps of a vehicle for a show demands consistent time and effort – and the proper auto detailing cleaning products. Detailing on a regular schedule (for instance, once a month) prevents a final detailing before a show from being an overwhelming task. Working on this area first also saves time and effort. Tires, wheels, etc., should be detailed before the rest of the car because the products that are most efficient for this job can be harmful to the finish of the car’s paint and can, at the least, spoil the polish job. You won’t be accidentally splashing the just waxed body of your car with the tire cleaner. Perfection in the tire area truly gives the look of “showroom” condition.

Be sure to work in the shade and not in the heat or full sun. This is not the kind of hot car you are aiming for. Full sun can cause streaks. Have your automobile detailing supplies laid out and ready. Remove your hubcaps or any other part of your wheel area that can be taken off. This way, you can really get at the tires, and also wash all sides of the removable parts. Some serious detailers will even remove the tires. Take the time to wash, rinse, and dry each tire before moving on to the next one. Completing each in turn will prevent any water spots from drying on the surface of the wheel.

Begin by carefully rinsing away any dirt or mud that might have coated the underbelly of the car or wheel wells. A second type of soil that is found on the tire area is brake dust. This material is gray in color and caused by the wear and tear on the brake pads. Do not use an excessively forceful water stream to rinse your tire area, since small rocks or sand could spin with the force of the water and scratch the surface of the car. You may use a soft brush to dislodge soil as you rinse. Try a soft bristled brush like Fuller Brush’s Vehicle Wash Brush. Mix a mild degreaser with water in a large bucket. Gently wash each tire and wheel with a soft wash mitt (or sponge. Each time you are ready to dip your mitt in the bucket of degreaser, remember to first rinse off your mitt so any particles of rock or sand will be removed. That way, you won’t be simply moving the soil around, and you won’t risk scratches to the wheel surfaces. (Also, to avoid scratches to the finish on the body of the car, use a different mitt for that area.) Finish with a detailing brush like Fuller’s Wheel and Spoke Detailing Brush. You will be able to thoroughly clean every bit of dirt from your tires without a scratch, and you will be ready for the next step, dressing and polishing the surfaces. Pay special attention to your manufacturer’s directions when you choose a treatment or polish for this part of your car. The wheel area and hubcaps can be painted or non-painted, and be made of a variety of different materials. Choose automobile detailing supplies that will be most effective for the materials in your car. Don’t worry about treating the tread of the tire. It will just rub off. Treating it may also affect your warrantee.

As soon as the tire area is completely detailed, you are ready to move on to work on the rest of the car. Before you know it, others will be noticing your “hot car.”

Thanks for visiting and finding my article. What follows is information that I have pulled together from several sources. I hope you find it both interesting and helpful.

Who makes the best quality detailing products or where can I get professional quality detailing products for my own car seems to be what a lot of people are asking.

You may be able to get the best products on the market or the same products that auto detailers and the serious hobbyists use. It is quite well known that if you intend to win auto show competitions you need the best quality detailing products to get that mirror finish. Young men also know that if their car is not looking at its best, their chances of getting a date will be tough. No one wants to go out with someone with a dirty car. For most people, their car is a reflection of themselves and are very particular of its appearance.

Do it yourselfers have asked if there is a special product they can use on their car to make their baby shine. You can find some excellent products online and they will ship them direct to you. One line of products was the American Shine Product Line of auto detail products. It is easy to order online and it comes within a week. The ‘Gift Pack,’ the Tire Dressing and Carnauba Liquid Wax are all good.

After following the instructions, the results were great. The Rubber and Tire Dressing had good shine, but did not have the stickiness, which would attract dirt or blowing dust. The Carnauba Liquid wax was not difficult to use and gave a good shine, but you must make sure the surface has been properly cleaned first. To insure a proper wash, we used carnauba car wash soap, which is recommended.

Although these products are usually made for street rods, motorcycles and customs, these products also worked great on a motor home and a 4-door maroon Ford with mild oxidation. The results were all on their website stating they were pleased with the shine.

I want to thank you for visiting. Go ahead and look around for additional tips and information.